It is Jose Mourinho’s belief that much of the Chelsea crisis this season is a simple matter of ill fortune. Every mistake is punished, he says, every break goes against them. Events just five minutes into the game here will have done little to persuade him otherwise.

Chelsea got a penalty, but not the full advantage they deserved, and then compounded this rotten luck by missing it. On the sidelines, Mourinho went crackers. He can smile as much as he likes for the cameras, this is definitely a man feeling the pressure of scarcely explicable failures.

Arsenal became the third Premier League side to lose their opening Champions League game after stumbling to a 2-1 defeat by Dinamo Zagreb at the Maksimir Stadium.

Under fire striker Olivier Giroud was guilty of missing several opportunities during the opening half, the worst coming after heading against the post and then missing the rebound from only a yard out, before a break from Dinamo defender Josip Pivaric led to an own goal from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to give the hosts the lead.

Now it gets interesting. With 11 minutes to play, Alexis Sanchez plays Theo Walcott in on goal, and the forward darts into the box before slotting a low finish across goal.

Can the Gunners get an equaliser? I wouldn't rule it out, Dinamo look a bag of nerves now!

Theo Walcott (right) of Arsenal scores a goal to make the score 2-1 with 11 minutes to play

21:21

From Sportsmail's Matt Barlow at the Maksimir Stadium

'It’s all a bit of a mess but Arsenal are roughly in a 3-4-2 shape with Alexis and Walcott up front and Ozil and Campbell wide.'

21:20

From Sportsmail's Pete Jenson

'Andre Gomes rifles in Valencia's equaliser - stirring comeback and plenty of jumping up and down from Phil Neville in the technical area. 2-2

'But Axel Witsel moments later scores to make it 3-2. AVB's Zenit back in the ascendancy.'

21:17

From Sportsmail's Matt Barlow at the Maksimir Stadium

'Alexis had gone up front since Arsenal went to 10 men. Wenger was locked into the fourth official for a long conversation as Giroud trudged slowly from the pitch.

'It was a harsh second booking but undeniably stupid by Giroud having been booked for dissent.'

21:14

Chelsea 3-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv

It's proven to be a comfortable evening for Chelsea who make their second change as Oscar departs in favour of Ramires. The Blues are pressing for a fourth and look in no danger of throwing away this lead. It's like the old days again.*

*old days being late 2014

Chelsea's Diego Costa celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the match

21:12

From OptaJoe

1 - Diego Costa has scored his first Champions League goal since scoring for Atletico Madrid against Chelsea in April 2014. Relief.

It seems to make a positive impact as Arsenal win a free-kick 23 yards out, only for Alexis Sanchez to curl his strike comfortably over the crossbar.

21:09

Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 Arsenal

Arsene Wenger is going for it as he makes a big statement by making a triple substitution. On come Theo Walcott, Joel Campbell and Francis Coquelin as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and Mikel Arteta depart.

21:04

GOAL! CHELSEA 3-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Oh, this is marvellous. Diego Costa hasn't been at his best but who needs to be when you have this in your locker? Cesc Fabregas chips a pass into the box, and with his back to goal, the striker cushions a volley into the top corner.

21:03

Chelsea 2-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Speaking of 2-0 leads, Chelsea very nearly lose their own. A strike across goal from Avraham Rikan beats everyone but creeps wide of the far post.

21:00

GOAL! DINAMO ZAGREB 2-0 Arsenal

But there is the danger of piling forward with 10 men. After countering, Junior Fernandes has a shot blocked behind by Mathieu Debuchy, before the forward headed home at the near post from the set-piece. Mountain to climb for the Gunners now.

Arsenal players look dejected after Zagreb's second goal in the second half

20:58

Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 Arsenal

Ohhh, that was a tight call! Mesut Ozil slots the ball home after running on to a through ball but before the shot had a chance to roll in off the post, the offside flag was up to deny the German an equaliser. I'm not certain that was the correct call for the official but at the very least the Gunners are looking the more attacking side.

20:56

From InfostradaLive

Thomas Müller becomes first @FCBayern player and first player from Germany to score a #UCL goal in 8 different seasons. #OLYFCB

Wow, what a let-off for Arsenal! El Arabi Hilal Soudani hits the post from close range attacking a far post cross, but he gets in the way of a team-mate hoping to tap home the rebound as the ball fumbles wide. Goodness knows where David Ospina was trying to prevent those chances going in.

20:49

The SECOND HALVES are back underway in the Champions League

Oscar scored Chelsea's second goal from the penalty spot before half-time

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho glances at Willian as the forward departed injured in the first half

20:34

GOAL! CHELSEA 2-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Tidy stuff from Oscar, who ignores a delay in the spot-kick as a Maccabi player received treatment, to tuck home his penalty into the bottom corner in the last kick of the half.

20:33

PENALTY (Chelsea)

A clumsy challenge from ex-Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim inside the box sees him bring down Diego Costa for a penalty. Oscar has taken over penalty duties from Hazard...

20:32

HALF-TIME: Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 Arsenal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger gestures in frustration during the first half at Dinamo Zagreb

20:30

Chelsea 1-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Still Chelsea pile forward and they are looking dangerous too. Loftus-Cheek and Hazard combine inside the box, but this time Rajkovic races off his line to make a clean tackle to deny the former a shot on goal.

20:26

RED CARD: Olivier Giroud (Arsenal)

The last thing Arsenal need. Olivier Giroud, already on a booking, kicks out at an opposition player with a clumsy attempt of a tackle and as a result is given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.

Olivier Giroud of Arsenal reacts as he is sent off by referee Ovidiu Hatefan for a second bookable offence.

20:25

Chelsea 1-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv

The defence may not be convincing but Chelsea go VERY close to grabbing a second. Diego Costa's overhead kick falls for Oscar inside the box, whose effort from eight yards smashes off the underside of the crossbar and out.

A foul is given anyway but either way the Brazilian should have buried it

20:22

Chelsea 1-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Chelsea have looked good going forward but those defensive lapses are still clear to see. Eran Zahavi is completely unmarked as he attacks a free-kick, before heading over the crossbar. MUST do better.

Roma's Alessandro Florenzi covers his face as he celebrates scoring from nearly 50 yards against Barcelona

20:18

Elsewhere around Europe...

Following a Luis Suarez opener, Roma have equalised against Barcelona through an Alessandro Florenzi strike - from 50 yards! Ter Stegen is caught off his line and the Roma star lobs him from the touchline. Marvellous strike!

Meanwhile Chelsea have been forced into a change at Stamford Bridge as Willian has indeed gone off, as he is replaced by Diego Costa.

20:09

GOAL! DINAMO ZAGREB 1-0 Arsenal

Arsenal have totally controlled this game, so it's perhaps typical they go behind to a rather fluke goal. A through ball played into the box falls for Josip Pivaric whose shot is saved before it takes a ricochet off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and into his own goal.

Well Willian's joy was very short lived. The forward appears to have picked up a hamstring injury and has limped off the field for treatment.

It's hard to see how you can run those off, but the Brazilian intends to do so as he rather gingerly jogs back on to the pitch. Bertrand Traore is warming up.

20:05

Dinamo Zagreb 0-0 Arsenal

How have Arsenal not taken the lead? Giroud sees a close range header saved at the near post but from two yards out can't force home the rebound due to Eduardo once again making a vital block.

20:01

GOAL! CHELSEA 1-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Dodgy keeper alert indeed! Willian's 30-yard free-kick is perfect and a nightmare to defend as he plays a long pass into the box. No player gets a touch and as a result the ball bounces into the far corner unaided to give the Blues the lead.

Willian celebrates firing Chelsea into the lead with a free-kick at Stamford Bridge

20:00

Chelsea 0-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Chelsea have looked good on the ball so far (except from 12 yards) as Oscar sees a 25-yard free-kick blocked by the wall, before WIllian's near post cross is rather nervously fumbled by Rajkovic.

Dodgy keeper alert. I'd advise Chelsea to shoot on sight, as long as Hazard isn't on the ball...

19:56

From Sportsmail's Pete Jenson

'Phil Neville's first taste of Champions League football for Valencia and they've dominated the opening exchanges. But Hulk has just scored with Zenit's first chance.'

19:55

Dinamo Zagreb 0-0 Arsenal

Arsenal also go close to opening the scoring, but Olivier Giroud's header from a cross is parried clear from the top corner by Eduardo.

19:53

Missed penalty

Eden Hazard channels the spirit of Roberto Baggio as he takes the spot-kick, it's a shame he picks the 1994 World Cup final version though as he skies his effort over the bar!

What was Hazard playing at? He wasn't even looking at the ball as he kicked it!

Eden Hazard blasts his penalty kick over the bar for Chelsea in the early stages of the game

19:50

PENALTY (Chelsea)

Straight forward decision. Loic Remy releases Willian into the box, who is then brought down by the onrushing keeper who is booked. Should Predrag Rajkovic have been sent-off? The referee takes a lenient stance - perhaps thinking Willian ran the ball too far forward.

19:48

Chelsea 0-0 Maccabi Tel-Aviv

It's taken less than 60 seconds for Ruben Loftus-Cheek to make his mark... but it's on the leg of Nikola Mitrovic as he is booked for a reckless lunge despite protests from Blues players including Cesc Fabregas.

Remember to get the most out of our live coverage by following all the action with Sportsmail's excellent Match Zone.

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Chelsea bossJose Mourinho (right) signs a football shirt for a fan as he stands in the players' tunnel

19:44

From Sportsmail's Matt Barlow at the Maksimir Stadium

'The Maksimir Stadium by no means full as the teams file out. There are 1,400 Arsenal fans behind one goal – but the Dinamo Zagreb support is depleted by those absent in opposition to the management of the club under chief executive Dravko Mamic and his brother Zoran, the manager.

'Both are currently on bail awaiting trial for embezzlement, tax evasion and bribery.'

19:43

Out come the players across Europe...

Gary Cahill leads out Chelsea in front of a packed Stamford Bridge, where the pressure is very much on the Blues to grab a victory.

There is a loud atmosphere at the Maksimir Stadium, with most of the noise coming from the Gunners fans, as a confident looking Arsenal team make their way out.

PETE JENSON: Barcelona paper El Mundo Deportivo produced a staggering statistic in their Tuesday edition. In the last four years Barcelona have only spent seven weeks outside of the top two.

In 117 weeks of the season across those four years they have, for 110 of those weeks, been first or second. Even in a league dominated by the big two the numbers smack of an incredible consistency – it’s enough to make you think they might actually become the first team to retain the Champions League.

No one has done it yet. In 2010 they came close but were beaten by Chelsea in the semi-final. On Wednesday it starts where it ended for them in 2009 – in Rome where they beat Manchester United 2-0 in the final.

JONNY SINGER: It was seven years ago last week that Theo Walcott scored his first international hat-trick, netting three times against Croatia in a 4-1 England win.

Yet, in 2015, that great hope is still facing questions. Those first three international goals have been followed by just four more - two coming against San Marino this month.

Walcott's scoring record is not bad, and he is finally being given a chance in his favoured central role, but will Arsene Wenger offer him the chance to lead the line on the ground he once lit up? Or will Olivier Giroud be preferred against Dinamo Zagreb?

ROB DRAPER: Chelsea were in a much worse position than this the last time Jose Mourinho headed into a Champions League opener against a relatively unknown side with the pressure bearing down on him.

As Chelsea take on Maccabi Tel Aviv, it's hard not to be reminded of that dire evening almost eight years ago to the day, when Mourinho's team struggled to a 1-1 draw with Rosenborg in front of 24,973.

A fans' boycott over ticket prices had caused the low crowd and it all added to the sense of malaise and of a club ill at ease with itself.

Follow Sportsmail's coverage of the UEFA Champions League as Chelsea host Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Arsenal visit Dinamo Zagreb to help conclude the opening week of the group stage.

Following a terrible night for Manchester United and Manchester City who suffered defeats on Tuesday, Chelsea and Arsenal will be flying the Premier League flag as they begin their group stage campaigns eyeing better fortunes.

There are eight fixtures in all, including holders Barcelona who travel to Roma while Bayern Munich are also on the road when they visit Olympiacos.